Yes! First, eggs are a great source of phosphorous, which is essential to healthy teeth. Next to calcium, phosphorous is the most plentiful mineral in the body, with about 85 percent of it found in the bones and teeth, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center.
But eggs do so much more: They’re one of the most affordable, high-quality proteins out there, and whether eaten at meals or as healthy snacks, eggs can help keep our energy levels even and build muscle strength. Even better, eggs promote weight loss. Researchers at St. Louis University put two groups of people on a breakfast plan with an identical amount of calories; one group ate two eggs, and another group ate bagels. After eight weeks, people eating the egg breakfasts lost 61 percent more weight than those eating bagels.
So feel free to turn those festively dyed Easter eggs into a high-protein meal too. Just follow these safety precautions from the pros at the American Dietetic Association:
- Handle eggs carefully while decorating; cracked eggs invite bacteria.
- When hiding eggs, be smart and avoid placing them in obvious dirt and pet bacteria.
- After the hunt is over, store Easter eggs in the fridge. Eggs shouldn’t sit out at temperatures of 40 F or higher for longer than two hours.
- Toss any unused eggs after one week -- hard-boiled eggs don’t keep as well as raw eggs.
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